Swimming-glove.



I. W. ECKMAN. SWIMMING GLOVE. APPLICATION FILED FEB- I918.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

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JOHN w. EOKMAN, or nn'ca'run, rumors SWIMMING-GLOVE.

cameos.

To all whom it mciy concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN VV. ECKMAN,

-a citizen of the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented new and use ful Improvements in Swimmin -Gloves, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for assisting swimmers in forcing their way through the water and particularly to devices of this class which are adapted to be fitted upon the hands ofthe swimmer.

The primary object of the invention is to produce a glove which may be readily arranged on the hands of the swimmer in a manner to prevent the entrance of water between the glove and the swimme'rs hands,

-the glove having its outer edge provided.

with a. continuous web, and the edge of the web being formed with a'fiange, while connecting the said flange with the fingers of the glove are ribs, the spaces between the ribs and flange comprising what may be termed separate compartments each designed to ofi'er a resistance to the water as the glove is propelled through the water, assisting in sustaining the swimmer on the surface of the water.

.It is a further object of the invention to produce a device of this character in the nature of a flexible glove which, when straight, as when the fingers of the hand of the swimmer are open provides a plurality of pockets or compartments, which when filled with water-,on the stroke of the swimmer increases the buoyancy of the swimmers body, the elements comprising the pockets or compartments being of a flexible nature so that the side movement of the hand will result in the collapsing of gather likewise offering little resistance to the water should the swimmer find it convenicnt to close his fingers upon the return stroke in swimming.

it is a still further object oflhe invention to produce a swimming glove which shall be of a comparatively simple construction, cheap to manufacture, easily applied to or taken from the band ofthe user, and thoroughly tended,

Specification of Letters mm.

efficient for the purpose i'n- Patented Aug. e, 1913 Application filed February 1, 1918.. Serial Ii'o. 214,950.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of theinvention is better.

understood, reference being. had to the accompanymgdrawings, in which,

' Figure 1 is-a top plan viewof a swim-; mers glove with the fingers straightened parallel and unspread p0 out but in close sition. .Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view with the fingers outstretched and also spread widelyarranged a web 6 which extends a suitable distance outward from the ends of the thumb and finger portions. The web 6 is provided, upon its outer edge with a continuous right angular flange 7, said flange having its ends connected with the opposite sides of the wrist portion 1 of the glove. The flange 7 designed to be retained at a right angle with respect to the web 6 through the medium of integrally "formed ribs 8 provided centrally on the thumb piece 4 and finger pieces 5, of the palm side of the glove.

The ribs and flange divide the palm side of the glove into a plurality of compartments or pockets designed to offer a great resistance to the water when the swimmers hand is propelled therethrough. The ribs 8 gradually decrease in width from their connection with the flange 7 to the terminals of the finger and thumb portions of the glove. The wrist portion of the glove has its outer end preferably provided with an elastic band 9 that prevents the entrance of water between the glove and the hand of the user. When the fingers are brought together, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the collapsing of the web 6 and the folding of the some vsuitable elastic lllfdtfillkll will yield when the swlnuner passes his hand sidew se through the water, so that the return stroke may be made in this manner instead of bringing his fingers together.

From the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawing, the

prising a hollow body portion, a series of finger portions extendingfrom the body portion, a flexible, web between the fingers and the sides of the body portion, a continuous angular flange on the outer edge of the web, and angular rib members between the flange and the finger portions of the glove. A swimmefs glove ii'ieluding a body and a finger portion, a web arranged between the body and the finger portions at the back of the glo'e said web being" extended outward from the tips of the fingers and being provided with a (JOIl tlDlllOllF-litilgular flange, rib members connected with the flange and arranged centrally of the finger portions of the glove and said ribs gradually decreasing in width from their connection with the flanges to their opposite terminals.

ture.

JOHN W. EQKMAN. 

